Should I Stop Contributing to My 401k?
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
3d ago
The easiest way to become a millionaire is to max out your 401k contributions every year. It’s a lot of money to put away but trust me. Your 401k will grow and become the foundation of your portfolio. Just start with 10% of your salary and increase it every year. In a few years, you’ll be able to max it out. The 401k retirement account has so many advantages. The contribution is tax deferred. You won’t have to pay tax on it until you withdraw later. The contribution is automatically deducted from your paycheck. You won’t miss the money because you won’t see it in your checking account. Many ..read more
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FIRE: The Greatest Gift for My Son
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
1w ago
Are you setting a good example for your kid? Shouldn’t you work full-time at the office to support your family? What are you teaching your son by retiring early? These are valid questions. I left my engineering career to become a SAHD/blogger after my son was born. We spent a ton of time together when he was young and we enjoyed it tremendously. However, he’s a teenager now and he is busy with school and various activities. Is it time to go back to work to show him the value of hard work? Personal finance is just that – personal. What works for me might not work for you. I can provide some gu ..read more
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12 Years of Early Retirement
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
2w ago
Wow, I can’t believe it’s been 12 years since I left my engineering career! Time flies when you don’t have a boss. I’m happy to report I’m still going strong, and life is better than ever. No doubt, retiring early was the right decision for me. However, my early retirement didn’t quite unfold exactly as I pictured. For many people, retirement is an abrupt transition. One day you’re at your desk in the office, the next you’re chilling at home. It’s a big adjustment, and it’s no surprise many struggle to adapt. After all, work is a huge part of our adult lives, shaping our identity and sense of ..read more
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Japan Trip Planning Summer 2024
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
1M ago
Hey everyone! Have you been to Japan? We visited in 2010 and had a fantastic time. It was our last international trip before we had a kid. Travel was so much easier and carefree back then. We visited Tokyo, Izu Peninsula, Kyoto, Miyajima shrine, Himeji Castle, Takayama, and Hakone in 11 days. That trip was too short, but it was the best international trip we took as a couple. We loved Japan and always wanted to go back to explore further. *The image here is from Narita. We had an 8-hour layover in 2019 and took advantage of the free Narita Airport Transit & Stay program. Anyway, Mrs. RB40 ..read more
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Who Benefits From The Layoffs?
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
1M ago
2024 is shaping up to be another tough year for workers in the United States. Last year, tech companies laid off thousands of workers. This year, the layoffs are spreading to other sectors. UPS, Amazon, Nike, Microsoft, Google, Mattel, American Airlines, and many other companies announced layoffs recently. Managements are anticipating a pullback in consumer spending and they are trying to cut costs. As Meta’s CEO Mark Zuckerburg explained, the layoff in 2023 was due to Covid adjustment. Meta hired too many new workers during the recovery and they needed to trim back. It worked so well that th ..read more
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The Cost of Raising A Child
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
1M ago
Will kids ruin your plan to FIRE? (Financial Independence Retire Early) Kids can be expensive, but don’t let that stop you. They might change your plan a bit, but FIRE won’t be out of reach. You just have to adapt your plan to include them. Many parents are inspired to work harder than ever after they have kids. However, I choose to go the frugal route instead. I retired from my engineering career about 18 months after RB40Jr was born. Becoming a SAHD helped reduce child-related expenses tremendously. Fortunately, I had already worked for 16 years by then. That’s one advantage to having a chi ..read more
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January 2024 FIRE Update
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
1M ago
Hey, everyone. Happy days are here again! Last year, the US economy grew faster than any other large advanced economy. Things are looking good in 2024 as well. Unemployment is low, inflation is moderating, wages are growing, and the consumer is spending money like water. As a result, the stock market is reaching new highs every week. Life is good for investors. Anyway, it’s a nice start for 2024. Things may slow down a bit as the presidential election approaches, but I’m optimistic this year. We had a good month at the RB40 household. There was a snowstorm in the Pacific Northwest and Portlan ..read more
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2023 Real Estate Crowdfunding Performance
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
2M ago
2023 was a tough year for commercial real estate. The Fed raised the interest rate 11 times and the cost of borrowing money increased tremendously. Commercial developers had a hard time getting reasonable loans. Many developers had to renew commercial loans at a higher rate and this caused a lot of problems for them. The construction cost also increased greatly due to inflation and labor shortages in the construction industry. In addition, the office vacancy rate remained very high. Workers don’t want to go back to the office full-time. Employers responded by closing or compacting offices to ..read more
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When Can You Stop Being Frugal?
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
2M ago
Hey everyone! How are you doing on your journey to Financial Independence? If you’re just starting, the best way to surge ahead is to be frugal and invest more. My advice is to save 15% of your income and increase it to 50% over time. We did that when we were young and it paid off. Now, our investment gains outpace our earnings almost every year. Frugality is a superpower and it helped me achieve FIRE. But here’s the thing: life isn’t static. Our needs and priorities evolve. What was essential yesterday might be a needless sacrifice today. At this age, I want to loosen up a bit and enjoy life ..read more
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New Year In Tahiti & Moorea
Retire by 40
by retirebyforty
2M ago
Ia Orana! (yo-rah-nah) That’s Hello in Polynesian. French is the official language in French Polynesia, but everybody likes to say Ia Orana. Mrs. RB40 enjoyed listening to all the people around us speaking French. She said it is such a pretty language. Visiting Tahiti and Moorea was interesting. French tourists greatly outnumber all other nationalities. We heard French constantly. I’ve never seen so many French people and baguettes. I guess it’s an easy destination for them to visit, kind of like Hawaii for Americans. Mmm… I miss Tahiti already. It was so relaxing there. The weather was perfe ..read more
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